Axially compressible rotatable sponge mop



E. M. GREEN 2,873,462 AXIALLY COMPRESSIBLE ROTATABLE SPONGE MOP Feb. 17, 1959 Filed Sept. 26, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

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7 wet surfaces is generally United States Patent Ofifice AXIALLY COMPRESSIBLE ROTATABLE SPONGE MOP Emmett M. Green, San Marino, Calif. Application September 26, 1955, Serial No. 536,475 7 Claims. (Cl. 15-119) This invention relates generally to cleaning implements such as mops and the like, and more particularly con cerns a novel mop utilizing for cleaning purposes a sponge in the form of a roller supported for ready manipulation, the mop incorporating numerous unique fea tures having for their general purpose and object the promotion of greater ease of mop handling during scrubbing, more efficient control of water application to and removal from surfaces to be mopped and markedly improved efiiciency of mop wringing enabling almost complete drying of floor surfaces by application of the mop itself. a

While the use of handle supported sponges for mopping known, such devices to my knowledge are usually confined to flat sided sponge blocks rigidly supported at one side of the block for sliding engagement of the opposite block side with a wetted floor surface, the construction of such a sponge mop seriously restricting its operating efiiciency with regard to floor scrubbi drying and sponge wringing. For example during scrubbing application of the sponge block to a floor, the downward force exerted by the user on the mop handle is necessarily distributed over the large exposed surface area of the sponge block side facing the floor, with the result that the unit pressure applied to the floor is considerably reduced so that the user must exert relatively greater scrubbing effort. .Also, since only one side of the sponge block is exposed to the water on the floor, that side quickly becomes water saturated with the result that the sponge requires undesirably frequent wringing or squeezing. Furthermore, it is found that when such a sponge block is pushedalong a wetted surface, water builds up at the leading edge of the moving sponge block faster than it is absorbed into the block so that it tends to flow to one or both sides of the block leaving water streaks on the floor, if the sponge is pushed about too rapidly. Finally, such known types of sponge mops require relativelycomplicated wringing mechanism for squeezing contact with the working side of the sponge block to remove water absorbed therein, and'an undesirably high force must be exerted by the user to squeeze the sponge since that force is distributed over thelarge area of theworking side of the sponge. The usual result of the latter condition is insufiicient wringing of the sponge, leaving water absorbed therein so that a floor sur-' face cannot possibly be dried .by engagement of the still:

wet sponge with the surface.

The present invention is predicated on the concept of providing a sponge mop capable of more efiicient scrubbing action on a floor surface through reducing the area. of the sponge in pressure contact with the floor, more eflicient water removal from a floor by rolling contact'of the sponge thereagainst and greater ease and completeness of sponge wringing or'squeezing, enabling more com plete floor drying. As a result, maximum advantage is taken of the water absorbing and discharging capacity of the sponge, thereby making possible less frequent period 2,873,462 Patented Feb. 17,1959

2 ical sponge wringing or squeezing and practically complete floor drying.

As mentioned above, the mop is provided with a novel elongated sponge roller mounted for rotation about a rod connected to a handle, the rod preferably being cantilevered so that the sponge roller projects freely to one side of the handle for ready insertion beneath raised objects for cleaning contact with normally inaccessible floor surfaces. Means are provided for axially compressing the sponge in the direction of elongation thereof so that the applied wringing force is distributed over the reduced cross-sectional area of the sponge permitting substantially greater relative sponge compression or squeezing to remove practically all of the water contained therein, such means taking various forms to be described. As an aid in sponge wringing manipulation, the cantilevered rod is preferably, though not necessarily, formed with a right angular bend between the sponge and the mop handle for engagement against the edge of a basin to positively support the mop with its sponge overhanging the basin.

The sponge. roller may be held against rotation for use during floor scrubbing and drying by providing the mop with a novel releasable brake engagement against the sponge. The brake may take the form of a clamp pivotally mounted on the mop handle facing one side of the sponge roller, the clamp normally being spring urged away from the roller. Means are provided for pivoting the clamp into engagement with the roller at a side thereof which normally does not face the floor during mop use, the clamp preferably being mounted for en sponge broken away; i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the sponge roller and of the lower end of the mop handle taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view of a slightly modified form of the mop illustrating wringing or squeezing thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken through the sponge roller and slider brake of Fig. 4 when the sponge is not axially compressed.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1 through 3, the mop 10 is shown to comprise an elongated handle 11 .to the lower end of which an arm 12 is connected as by inserting the flared end 13 of the arm shown in broken lines into an opening formed in the handle so a 1. dry. The roller is preferably axially elongated as shown as to prevent handle twisting relative to the arm. A suitable arm may comprise a metal rod extending as shown to one side of the handle and forwardly therefrom, and then transversely back across in front of the handle in spaced relation thereto to provide a cantilevered rod end portion 14 supporting a sponge roller 15. For purposes as will be described, the arm 12 is formed with a right angular bend 16 between the end of the handle and the sponge roller, the bend facing generally away from the roller and the handle.

The roller itselfmay comprise any suitable spongelike cellular material having the capacity to absorb water and a certain degree of resilience after water has been squeezed from the material and before it is completely and centrally apertured to receive the rod end portion 14 for free rotation thereon when the sponge is wet.

At one end of the roller is a washer l7 loosely retained against displacement around bend 18 in the sup-- port rod by ears l9 conveniently formedon the rod. The washer is sized to bear against the end of the roller stopping axial displacement thereof, but with a diameter sufficiently reduced in relation to the outer diameterof the roller so that the washer will not interfere with scrubbing action or other use to which the roller may be put. At the opposite end of the roller an annular plunger or pusher 20 is slidably mounted on the support rod,

a nut 21 threaded on the end of the rod retaining the plunger against removal. Whenever it is desired to replace the sponge roller, the plunger 20 and nut 21 may quickly be removed from the rod so that a new roller may be inserted, and it will be understood that the washer 17, plunger 20 and nut 21 may be so fitted'on the rod that the sponge is loosely retained therebetween and yet guided thereby for rolling engagement with a floor surface.

Plunger 20 is sized to bearagainst a substantial area of the Sponge roller at the end thereof so that the roller may be compressed or squeezed by pushing the plunger axially toward the stop washer 17; however, the plunger diameter is sufiiciently reduced from the diameter of the roller so that the plunger will not interfere with normal scrubbing action or other use of the roller. As pointed out in the introduction, the sponge roller 15 may readily be collapsed to squeeze practically all of the water therefrom by pushing'the plunger towardthe stop washer 17, a synthetic sponge roller 2 inches in diameter and 12 inches long being readily collapsible by a normal amount of hand pressure exerted on the plunger.

The lower end of the handle 11 also supports a clamp member 22 carrying a transverse pivot 23 at what may be termed the upper side of the handle. An arcuate sponge actuator clamp 24 is supported for swinging movement by the pivot 23, the clamp including a delta flared section 25 extending over the upper side of the roller and being provided with alternately oppositely extending fingers 26 spaced parallel to the axis of the roller. The clamp also includes overhang 27 extending to the opposite side of the pivot 23 for engagementby a cam 28 carried at the end of an elongated lever 29.

The clamp is normally urged in a directionaway from the sponge roller by a coiled spring 30 wrapped around the pivot 23, so that the clamp fingers 26 are held in spaced-relation to the roller with the clamp overhang 27 bearing against the cam; Whenever clamping engagement of the sponge roller is desired, rotative manipulation ofthe lever 29 within eyelets 3i. spaced along the handle 11 causes the suitably shaped cam. 28 to lift the overhang Z7 and pivot the fingers 26 into the sponge roller at the upper side thereof relativetothefioorSZ. During its clamped; condition the roller may be used for scrubbing action onthe floor or as a squeegee in drying the floor. Otherwise, when not in clamped condition, the roller may be freely rolled along a wet surface pick-up most ofthe water film thereon, as. explained in the introduction.

Referring toFig. 4 showing a slightly modified; form ofthe invention in which. similar elements are. correspondingly numbered, the arm 12 is shown. supporting the mop over a basin 33 with the right angular. bend 16-.

in. the arm' engaging the edge of thebasin. Aguide 34 is rigidly secured to the arm 12 as by rivets 35, the guide being provided with a looped portion 36 slidably receiving leg 37 carried by thin L -shaped member- 38 engaging the end of the sponge roller. Member 38replaces the plunger 2a shown in Fig. 1 and is slidably received on the support rod in, the leg-37 extending at one side of the sponge roller in the direction of elongation thereof forguidance by guide 34. Member 38 may be conveniently manipulated by pushing against elbow 39 to de' fiect or squeeze the roller 15, so that the user need not soil his hands in wringing the mop. Extension of the collapsed sponge to its full length after wringing is assured by finger pivoting of lever 40 mounted on leg 37 into gripping engagement with the sponge, as indicated in Fig. 4, and retracting member 38 to its fully extended position shown in broken lines.

Finally, a sponge brake in the form of a slider 41 is suitably mounted on guide 34' by rivets 42 passing through slot 43 in the slider accommodating its movement toward and away from the sponge. The slider is preferably slightly bowedaway from the guide 34' and recessed at forward and rearward points 44 and 45 respectively to receive the rivet heads with detenting action, holding the slider in its engaged or disengaged position with respect to the sponge. To brake the sponge against rotation, the slider tab 46 may be pushed forward to force the slider into sponge engaging position shown in Fig. 5. Alternatively, disengagement of the slider from the sponge may beeffected by retracting tab 46 away from the sponge.

In operation with the sponge roller unclamped, the latter may be freely rolled over a wetted floor surface so that the entire outersurface of the roller may pickup water from the floor, the cantilevered roller arrangement permitting application of the-free end of; the roller beneath overhanging objects. During scrubbing or. dry.- ing of the floor, with the clamp engaging the rollerto prevent rotation thereof, the mo may be moved back and forth along a floor so that only the underside of, the roller comes in contact therewith requiring only ainormal handleforce t0 secure sulficient roller application pressure for desired scrubbing or drying action. Finally, almost complete drying of the sponge roller maybe cffectedby pushing the plunger 20 or the member 3815 shown in Figs. 1 and 4- toward the stop washer 17 at the opposite end of the roller to very completely squeeze the roller. As a result, the dried and clamped roller may be used asa squeegee to lift/the remaining water film off the floor.

I claim:

1. An improved mop, comprising a sponge in the form of a cylinder, support means for the sponge, including a rod-extending axially therethrough and about which the sponge is. freely rotatable and an elongated handle extending substantially normal to the axis of the sponge in spaced relation thereto for controlling rolling application thereof to a surface to be mopped, said rod-being in the form of a, cantilever and being connected. to. said handle, a stop carried'by the rod opposite one end of. the sponge for blocking axial displacement thereof. on

the rod toward the stop, and an annular member mounted on the rodat the opposite end of the sponge andmovable toward said stop to collapse the sponge thereagainst. and thereby to effect squeezing of containedliquid from the sponge, said rod having-a substantially right angular bend between said. sponge and handle. for supporting the mop against the side of a. basin with the sponge overhanging the basin.

2. An improved mop, comprising a sponge, support meansfor the sponge including a rod extending therein substantially.v normal. to the thickness dimension" thereof and a handle spaced fromthe sponge *for controlling application thereofto asurface to be mopped, said sponge being axially compressible ontherod and being rotatable thereabout, astop for blocking axial displacementof: the sponge onthe rod in one direction, and a member mounted in spaced relation to said stop movableaxially of the rod to collapse the sponge thereon and thereby to effect'squeez ingof contained liquid from the sponge, a clamp carried by said handle'for movement relative to said handle between an active position in which it;engages the sponge andh'olds it against rotation and retractedpo sition=in which the clamp allows. sponge rotation, said clamp in said retracted positionbeing, so located as t avoid any interference thereby with said axial squeezing of the sponge, a spring urging said clamp away from the sponge, and a cam mounted by the handle and movable to displace said clamp against the space.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which said stop member comprises a washer having a diameter substantially less than the diameter of said sponge.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 including an elongated lever operatively coupled to said cam and extending along said handle for remote manipulation of the cam and clamp.

5. An improved mop, comprising a laterally elongated cylindrical sponge roller, support means for the sponge roller including a longitudinallly elongated handle and a rod in the form of a cantilever extending from the handle to one end of the sponge and then laterally therewithin to terminate at a free end portion spaced from the handle, said sponge being compressible on the rod and rotatable thereabout, and means operable to compress the sponge including laterally spaced pusher and stop members on the rod, the pusher member being movable toward said stop member to collapse the sponge thereagainst and squeeze contained liquid from the sponge, an actuator for the sponge carried on the support means and movable toward and away from the sponge for controlling compression thereof tending to resist sponge rotation and a spring on said support means acting to urge said actuator away from the sponge.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 in which one of said members is retained on the rod free end portion, whereby said sponge may be removed from the rod free end after detachment of said one member from the rod.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 comprising annular pusher and stop members having outer diameters substantially less than the diameter of said sponge roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 102,865 Rees May 10, 1870 1,502,148 Magaton July 22, 1924 1,638,340 Kennedy Aug. 9, 1927 2,413,872 Hoyer Jan. 7, 1947 2,625,701 Morrow et al Jan. 20, 1953 2,653,337 Bathurst Sept. 29, 1953 2,695,417 Bathurst Nov. 30, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 413,742 Great Britain July 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,873,462 February 17, 1959 Emmett M. Green It is herebj certified that error appears in the-printed specification of the above "numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 5, line 4, for "space" read sponge Signed and sealed this 30th day of June 1959.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Oflicer Commissioner of Patents 

